hallman



Jan. 31, 1956 1.. L. HALLMAN AUTOMATIC BOBBIN LOADER FOR AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1952 N. & Am w T N R MM m v A 00 L E vm L MN H r .L a w 22 N MN hm mi N. N P

Jan. 31, 1956 L. L. HALLMAN 2,733,014

ACToMATIC BOBBIN LOADER FOR AuToMATIC WINDING MACHINES Filed June 21, 1952 6 sheets sheet 2 A INVENTORZ LITTLE L. HRLLMAN.

72 BY M ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 31, 1956 L. HALLMAN 2,733,014

AUTOMATIC BOBBIN LOADER FOR AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINES 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 21, 1952 mmN wmw INVENTOR: LITTLE L. HALLMHN.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 31, 1956 1.. L. HALLMAN 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 21, 1952 INVENTOR2 3 r r 5 Z 7. 5 W l 0 w m 4 .Ill 5|:

m m Q m w I r FI I 1 H4 3 8 7; x 7 71 2 M 2 2 2 H B 3 7 2 5 4 2 2 w 2 4 B m zz 4 3 l0 3 2 2 w y a 2 2 LITTLE L. HALLMAN.

ATTORNEYS.

AUTOMATIC BOBBIN LOADER FOR AUTOMATIC WINDING IVIACHINES Little L. Hallman, Aberdeen, N. C., assignor, by rnesne assignments, to The Terrell Machine Company, (Sharlotte, N. (1., a corporation of North Carolina Application June 21, 1952, Serial No. 294,949 15 Claims. (Cl. 242-355) This invention relates to automatic bobbin or cop winding machines, such as the Whitin-Schweiter automatic winding machines, and more especially to an automatic bobbin loader for successively feeding bobbins or quills to a plurality of such machines commensurate with the rate at which the bobbins or quills are filled with yarn on each machine.

The Whitin-Schweiter type of automatic filling bobbin winder is provided with a magazine comprising a circular rack provided with a plurality of peripheral slots or notches therein in which, heretofore, empty bobbins. cops or quills have been placed by hand and, upon a predetermined amount of yarn being wound about a bobbin in the winder, automatic means would impart a step in rotation to the magazine and automatically discharge an empty bobbin from the magazine to the Winding instrumentalities of the winder as a filled bobbin was discharged from the winder. It is evident that in such a winder it is necessary to periodically replenish the supply of bobbins in the magazine. in instances where a large number of such winders have been arranged in rows, the replenishing of the supply of bobbins in the magazine has been a time consuming task and, in some instances, requires a special operator other than the regular attendant or attendants.

t is the primary object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for successively loading the magazines of a plurality of automatic winding machines simultaneously or at varying intervals commensurate with the rate at which the bobbins or quills are discharged from each magazine to the yarn winding instrumentalities of the machines.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bobbin loader of the type described which is simply constructed, may be readily installed on existing machines without materially changing the machines and, particularly, which is so constructed and operates in such a manner that the bobbins or quills will not be damaged in any way by engagement with the propelling means therefor, as has been the case in similar bobbin loading devices currently in use.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a longitudinally slotted horizontal trackway adapted to be disposed above a row of automatic wind ing machines of the type described and being provided with novel means for advancing the bobbins or quills along the slotted trackway with the stems of the bobbins depending through the slot in the trackway and the heads of the bobbins moving in sliding engagement with the upper surface of the trackway, and having means operable automatically upon each transfer operation of a bobbin, from the magazine of any one or more of the machines to the winding iustrumentalities, for automatically deflecting another bobbin from its normal path of travel along said trackway into a chute for ultimately directing the same to one of the peripheral slots in the corresponding magazines.

Some of the objects of the invention having been States Patent 13 and 14, respectively,

stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic elevation of a row of parallel automatic winding machines showing the improved bobbin loading apparatus in association therewith;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation of one of the winding machines, showing the creel associated therewith and showing the improved bobbin loader mounted on the creel, with parts of the bobbin loader being shown in cross-section, and being taken looking substantially along line 22 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view looking substantially along line 3-3 in Figure 1, but omitting the portions of the winding machines disposed below the improved bobbin loader;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the right-hand end of Figure 3 and showing the slotted trackway and the drive shaft for the feeding or propelling means in cross-section;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of the improved bobbin loader, with parts broken away, looking substantially along line 55 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the rear of the bobbin loader or at the oppisite side of Figure 5, but omitting the vertical tubular bobbin guide;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 77 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary top plan view with parts in section taken substantially along line 8-8 in Figure 5, but showing the bobbin shifting or deflecting means in operative position for deflecting a bobbin out of its normal straight path into one of the discharge chutes preparatory to the bobbin subseouently being directed to the magazine of the corresponding winding machine;

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, but showing the shifting or deflecting means in a different position, to which it is moved by the advancing bobbins or quills when the entrance to the corresponding chute is closed;

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional plan View of one of the bobbin feeding fingers, taken substantialiy along line 19-19 in Figure 7;

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along line 1111 in Figure 6 showing a fragmentary portion of the winding machine magazine in association with the improved bobbin loader;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view of the lower portion of the vertical bobbin guide looking substantially along line 12-12 in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along line 13l3 in Figure 8.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, there will be observed in Figure 1 a row of spaced parallel automatic filling bobbin winding machines, there being four such machines illustrated and indicated at A, B, C and D. Such machines are usually of identical construction and are supported on a common frame broadly designated at it) and which includes standards 11 and 12 to which opposite ends of front and rear frame members are suitably secured (Figures 1 and 2). The end frame members 11 and 12 also support the lower ends of respective pairs of upright creel posts 15 and 16, respectively.

The upper ends of the creel posts 15 and E6 the rear portions of respective upper horizontally support disposed and forwardly extending creel bars or frame members 28' and 21. Guide rod support arms or brackets 22, depending from the front portions of the horizontal creel bars 24) and 21, support ends of a yam guide rod 23. A yarn guide rod 24 is supported at opposite ends thereof in the upper ends of brackets 25, also suitably secured to the horizontal creel bars 2% and 21 at the lower ends thereof.

The'creel posts and 16 also support lower horizontal creel bars 26 and 27 which extend forwardly adjacent the corresponding winding machines A and D. Either one or both of each of the pairs of creel posts 15 and 16 has one or more skewer rod support brackets 30 suitably secured thereto, which brackets support opposite ends of a skewer support rod 31. Skewer support rod brackets 32 are also suitably secured to the lower horizontal creel rods 26 and 27 and support opposite ends of another skewer support rod 33.

Each of the skewer support rods 31 and 33 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced skewer brackets 34 fixed thereon, each of which supports the lower end of a skewer 35 which extends upwardly and forwardly at an angle and carries a package of yarn 36, there being an individual package of yarn 36 for each of the winding machines A to D, inclusive, and these packages of yarn preferably being staggered relative to each other as shown in Figure 1. A strand of yarn Y extends from each of the packages 36 and engages the lower yarn guide rod 23 and then passes upwardly therefrom through a corresponding yarn tensioning device 37, there being a plurality of these yarn tensioning devices 37 depending from the upper yarn guide rod 24 as shown in Figure 2.

The strands of yarn Y then extend downwardly from the yarn tensioning devices 37 to the conventional winding instrumentalities, not shown, of the corresponding machines A, B, C, and D. These yarn winding instrumentalities may be of the type shown in the patent to Schweiter No. 2,449,328 of September 14, 1948 and, therefore, an illustration and description thereof is deemed unnecessary. It might be stated, however, that each of the winding machines A to D, inclusive, has a conventional rotary chuck 4t) to each of which bobbins or quills generally designated at Q are successively introduced, one at a time, from a circular rotary magazine 42 upon each successive bobbin or quill Q being filled with yarn.

,The bobbins or quills shown are of the type each having a relatively thin, fiat, circular head 41 and a slightly tapered stern 41a, although it is to be understood that bobbins having other types of heads may be loaded in the magazines 42 by means of the improved bobbin loader.

The chuck is carried by a conventional housing or gear casing 43 and is driven by suitable gearing, not shown, disposed within the housing 43. The gearing disposed within each of the housings 43 is driven by a shaft 44 extending outwardly from the rear wall of the corresponding rear casing 43 and which shaft has a friction wheel 45 fixed thereon. The friction wheel 45 associated with each of the machines A to D, inclusive, is engaged by a corresponding relatively larger friction wheel 46 fixed on a conventionally driven shaft 4? rotatably mounted in the frame 10.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, the magazine 42 associated with each of the winding machines A, B, C and D comprises a conventional magazine rack ring 56 fixed to the upper end of a vertically disposed magazine post 51, the lower end of which is fixed to the top of the housing 43. A sleeve 52, rotatably mounted on the post 51, has fixed to the upper end thereof a circular magazine rack 53 which is encircled by the magazine rack ring and is provided with a plurality of circularly spaced slots or notches 54 in the periphery thereof which are of slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the stems 41a of the bobbins Q, but which are of slightly smaller diameter than the heads 41 of the bobbin Q so the bobbins Q depend from the magazine rack 53.

The lower end of the sleeve 52 has a ratchet wheel 55 fixed thereon which is engaged by a conventional spring loaded pawl or plunger 56. The plunger 56 is slidably mounted in a projection 57 integral with a conventional magazine swing arm broadly designated at 6% which is pivoted, as at 61, on one of the side walls of the housing 43. The magazine swing arm 60 also has radially extending arms 62 and 63 thereon. The rear end of the arm 62 of the magazine swing arm 60 has a longitudinally extending groove 64 therein which is engaged by a follower 65 projecting outwardly from a disk 66 fixed on a shaft 67 which is driven periodically by conventional means, not shown, disposed within the housing 43.

Thus, the swing arm 60 is caused to oscillate about the pivot point 61 at the proper time to cause the plunger or pawl 56 to move rearwardly and thence forwardly in the course of which the pawl 56 imparts a step in rotational movement to the ratchet wheel 55, the sleeve 52 and the magazine rack 53 to thereby position a bobbin or quill Q above a conventional upper bobbin chute 70, whereupon the bobbin or quill Q is released by conventional means, not shown, to permit the bobbin to fall, by gravity, into the chute 7t and to the chuck 4t) preparatory to yarn being wound thereon.

Of course, as the magazine rack 53 is so indexed, the chuck 40 is withdrawn in a well known manner to release a filled bobbin therefrom, whereupon the filled bobbin drops into a lower bobbin chute 72, the lower end of which is, at times, closed by a bobbin release arm 73 pivotally mounted, as at 74, on the machine housing 43. The bobbin release arm has an extension 75 connected thereto and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom at an angle. 7

it is evident that, upon rearward movement of the ratchet pawl or plunger 56, the arm 63 of the magazine swing arm 69 moves forwardly to permit the bobbinre- V lease arm 73 to close the normally open lower end of the lower bottom chute 72. At this time, a conventional top chute stop 76 moves into position, by conventional means, not shown, to catch the empty bobbin Q subsequently discharged from the magazine 42 and to support the same in alinement with the chuck 49 until it is engaged by the chuck 40.

The parts heretofore described are conventional, however, the swing arms 69 are instrumental in operating the improved bobbin loader and have been described more in detail than the remaining parts of the automatic winding machines A, B, C and D in order that the operation of the improved bobbin loader may be clearly understood.

Babbirz loader construction The improved bobbin loader comprises an elongated slotted trackway, broadly designated at T, and which comprises a pair of closely spaced tracks or track bars and 86 which extend longitudinally of the row of machines A, B, C and D and are supported in substantially spaced relation above the machines A, C, and D by suitable brackets 90 and 91, shown in the form of strap iron members. A pair of brackets 9t? and is adjustably secured to each of the upper horizontal creel bars 21 and 21 as shown in Figure l. The track 86 may be made from a single bar throughout its length, but the front track 85 is made of relatively short bar sections, as will be later described.

Opposite ends of the tracks 35 and 86 are suitably secured to the upper ends of the strap iron brackets t? and 91. The strap iron brackets 90 and 91 extend downwardly and outwardly in diverging relationship and are adjustably secured to the corresponding horizontal creel bars 20 and 21 by any suitable means such as U-bolts 92 which extend beneath the horizontal creel bars 21' and 21 and the legs of which slidably penetrate clamp plates 93 and have nuts 94 threadably mounted thereon, clamp.- ing the lower portions of the strap iron brackets 95) and 91 to the corresponding horizontal creel bars 20 21.

It will be observed in Figure 1 that the right-hand or feed end of the trackway T extends outwardly and upwardly at an angle at T4 so the bobbins or quills Q fed thereto may move down the trackway T, by gravity, to the propelling or feeding mechanism, to be later described, associated with the firstwinding machine A.

The tracks 85 and 86 are spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the diameters of the stems 41a of the bobbins or quills Q. Thus, the bobbins or quills Q may be placed in the inclined portion T-Il of the trackway T, either manually or by suitable automatic means, so that the stems 41a thereof extend through the slot defined by the tracks 85 and 86 and are supported by the heads 41 thereof resting against the upper surfaces of the tracks 85 and 36 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In this instance, automatic means is provided for directing empty bobbins to the upper end of the inclined portion T-l of the trackway T, this automatic means being shown somewhat schematically in Figure 1. The automatic means for feeding bobbins to the trackway T comprises a hopper or bin in which empty bobbins may be dumped by an operator. An endless driven conveyor 97 is supported on frame members 1% and has a plurality of grooved transverse bars 151 fixed to the endless conveyor 97 which pass into the hopper or bin 96 and direct the bobbins upwardly at one side of the conveyor 9'7, whereupon the bobbins are subsequently dropped into angularly disposed chute 193 to which the upper end of the inclined portion 35-1 of the trackway T is suitably secured. The bobbins which fall into the chute 11 3 then slide down the chute 1&3, by gravity, and drop into the slot formed in the inclined portion T-l of the trackway T. T he bobbins Q then move down the inclined portion 17-1 of the trackway T to the feeding or propelling means associated the first machine A.

Now, each of the winding machines A, B, C and D has an individual bobbin feeding or propelling means, to be later described, for moving the bobbins Q along the trackway T. Also, there is associated with each of the winding machines A, B, C and D an individual means to deflect or shift the bobbins out of their normal path of travel along the trackway T and to simultaneously direct a bobbin Q to the corresponding magazine 42 as each bobbin at the opposite side of the magazine 22 is eleased to fall into the chute 79 of the corresponding Winding machine.

It might be stated here that the front track 85 is formed from a plurality of track bars or short sections which are spaced in longitudinal alinernent from each other above each of the winding machines to form discharge openings 166 in the front track 85, one above each of the winding machines. The bobbins Q are successively directed through the discharge openings 1% at the proper time by a spring pressed deflector finger or cam, element 1&7. The deflector finger is rounded at its outer end, as at 195, and is provided with a cam surface 1b? on the normally front edge thereof; that is, the front edge thereof when the deflector finger 1(2'7 occupies the position shown in rigures 3 and 9.

Each of the cam elements or deflector lingers 167 is of a relatively thin rigid material, such as sheet metal, and preferably rests in sliding engagement with the upper edge of the rear track 86. The rear portion of each of the cam elements or deflector fingers is penetrated by a vertical shaft 111) to which it is secured by any suitable means such as a screw 111 and washers (Figure 13), the washers 112 engaging the respective upper and lower surfaces of cam element or deflector finger 1&7. The lower washer rests in sliding oscillatable engagement with the upper end of a deflector finger bracket 113 and also engages the upper end of an enlarged portion 114 of the shaft 119.

The bracket 113 has a cavity 115 ther in in which the enlarged portion 114 of the shaft 11% is oscillatably mounted. The low r surface of the enlarged portion 114 of the shaft 11 terminates above the bottom of the cavity 115 an the shaft 111'? has a lower reduced portion 116 which is surrounded by a torsion spring 117 connected at its upper end to the enlarged portion 114 and at its lower end to the bracket 113.

The reduced portion 116 of shaft 111: slidably penetrates the lower portion of bracket 113 and has a washer 120 held thereon by a pin 121 which penetrates the lower end of the portion 116 of shaft 110. The bracket 113 is suitably secured, as by a screw 122, to a flange 123 of a bobbin feeder support bracket 124 which is, in turn, suitably secured to the rear surface of the rear track 86. it is thus seen that the torsion spring 117 normally urges the deflector finger 107 in a counter-clockwise direction in Figures 3, 8 and 9 and a stop pin 113a projecting from the bracket 113 limits countenclockwise movement of the deflector finger 107.

Since the front track 85 is formed of a plurality of relatively short sections, defining the openings 106 therebetween, the front track is supported in proper spaced relation to the rear track 86 by means of inverted L- shaped brackets 125 and 126 suitably secured at their lower ends to the from track 85 adjacent opposite sides of each opening 106 and the horizontal legs or arms of which are secured to horizontal legs or arms 130 and 131 of respective inverted L-shaped brackets 132 and 133 as by screws 134 which penetrate adjustment slots 135 in the horizontal legs of the inverted L-shaped brackets 125 and 126 (Figures 2 and 4). The horizontal legs of the brackets 125, 126, 132 and 133 are spaced substantially above the track 85 and 86. The vertical legs of the brackets 132 and 133 are suitably secured to the rear surfaces of the track 86.

Suitable spacing blocks 136 and 137 are provided between the vertical legs of the L-shaped brackets 125 and 126 and the track 85. A suitable spacing block 149 is disposed between the vertical leg of the bracket 133 and the rear track 86 so the vertical leg of the bracket 133 is disposed in horizontal alinement with the vertical leg of the bracket 132, since the flange 123 or" the feeder support bracket 124 is disposed between the vertical leg of the bracket 132 and the rear surface of the rear track 86.

The horizontal legs 130 and 131 of the inverted L shaped brackets 132 and 133 converge forwardly, as shown in Figure 3, and have the upper ends of respective chute support bars and 146 suitably secured thereto, as by screws 147. The screws 147 also serve to secure the opposite ends or" a transverse bearing block 153 to the proximal surfaces of the front horizontal portions of arms 130 and 131 of the inverted L-shaped brackets 132 and 133.

The rearmost screws 134 also serve to secure the opposite cnds of a rear bearing block 151 to the proximal surfaces of the arms 130 and 131 of the inverted L- shaped brackets 132 and 133.

A gate support shaft 153 is oscillatably mounted in the bearing blocks 15% and 151 and has a plurality of bobbin restraining means in the form of gates suitably secured thereto and depending therefrom. In this instance, there are four gates of varying lengths, indicated at 154, 155, 156 and 157, depending from shaft 153. The alternate gates 154 and 156 extend radially from the shaft 153 in parallel relation to each other and the gates and 157 also extend radially from the shaft 153 in parallel relation to each other, but at a slight angle relative to the gates 154 and 156, as best shown in Figures 3, 5, 8 and 9, for purposes to be later described.

lt will be observed in Figures 2, 4 and 11 that the gates 154 to 157, inclusive, progressively increase in length from the rearmost gate 154 to the foremost gate 157, these gates being spaced from each other a distance at least slightly greater than the diameter of the heads 41 of the bobbins Q. The lower edges of the gates are arcuately shaped and are adapted to be swung immediately adjacent the upper edge of an angularly disposed discharge chute or inclined discharge trackway broadly designated at 160. The discharge chute 160 comprises a pair of spaced chute tracks 161 and 162, the lower front ends of which are suitably secured to the lower ends of the chute support bars 145 and 146, respectively, as by screws 163 which penetrate adjustment slots 154 in the chute support bars 145 and 146 to permit adjustment of the inverted L-shaped brackets 132 and 133 relative to the discharge chute 169.

Suitable spacing blocks 165 are provided between the chute tracks 161 and 162 and the corresponding bars 145 and 146, which spacing blocks 165 are also penetrated by the screws 163. The upper rear ends of the chute tracks 161 and 162 are suitably secured to the track 85 by means of angle clips 166 and 167, these angle clips being suitably secured to the chute tracks 161 and 162 and to the front surface of the track 85 of the trackway T. It will be observed in Figures 3, 8 and 9 that the inner or proximal surfaces of the chute tracks 161 and 162 are flush with the walls of each of the discharge openings 106 in the track 85.

The horizontal tracks 85 and 86 are adjustable relative to each other to accommodate stems 41a of bobbins Q of varying diameter and, in the present ini stance, bobbins having stems of relatively small diameter are illustrated. Therefore, in order to accommodate the bobbins shown having stems of relatively small diameter, it will be observed that the inner surface or" the chute track 162 has an auxiliary chute track or spacing memher 170 removably secured thereto, as by screws 171.

In order to direct each succssive bobbin to one of the notches or slots 54 in each of the magazine racks 53 (Figure 3) each time a magazine rack 53 is indexed, in

the manner heretofore described, the front end of the I gate support shaft 153 has one end of a crank arm 173 fixed thereto, to the free end of which the upper end of a link 174 is pivotally connected. it will be observed in Figure 5 that the link 174 extends downwardly from the crank arm 173 and then horizontally and again downwardly in order to pass one side of a vertically disposed substantially tubular bobbin guide member broadly designated at 175. The lower end of the link 174 (Figure 2) is pivotaily connected to the rear end of a gate actuating arm 176, the front end of which is suitably secured to the extension 57 of the conventional swing arm 60.

Now, the gates 154 to 157, inclusive, normally occupy the position shown in Figures 3, 5 and 9 during operation of the yarn onto a bobbin supported by the chuck of each of the winding machines A, B, C and D. However, in the course of a bobbin transfer operation, in which a bobbin Q is transferred from any one or more of the magazines 42 to the corresponding chuck 46 to replace a filled bobbin, the swing arm 60 moves, first in a clockwise direction in Figure 2 and then returns to the position shown, during which it indexes the magazine rack 53 in the manner heretofore described. As the swing arm 61 moves in a clockwise direction, the gate actuating arm 176 (Figure 2) moves downwardly thereby moving the 'link 174 and the crank arm 173 downwardly and swinging the gates 154 to 157, inclusive, from the position shown in'Figures 3, 5 and 9 to the position of Figure 8. Only the lower portions of the gates 154 to 157, inelusive, are shown in Figures 8 and 9 for purposes of clarity.

Now, assuming that the heads 41 of two bobbins Q-1 and Q2 (Figure 9) are resting in engagement with the rear surfaces of the gates 154 and 156 during operation of the corresponding winding machine in winding yarn on a bobbin Q, as a transfer operation occurs, the swing arm 60 (Figure 2) moves in a clockwise direction to permit the bobbin release arm to move to operative position for closing the lower end of the conventional lower bobbin chute 7 2, to catch the filled bobbin as it falls from the chuck 4% into the lower chute 72, and, simultaneously, swing the gates 15% and 156 away from above the inclined chute 169 as the gates 155 and 157 swing into operative position above the track chute 160,

winding instrumentalities in winding yarn iii) whereupon the bobbins Q-1 and Q-2 previously retained by the respective gates 154 and 156 are permitted to move against the succeeding gates 155 and157 as shown in Figure 8.

In this instance, the bobbin Q2 previously retained by the gate 156 moves, by gravity, against the gate 157 while the particular bobbin Q-l which happens to be positioned adjacent the gate 154 in the track T is deflected from its normal straight path of movement along the track T by the deflector finger 107, since the stem 41a of this lastrnentioned bobbin or quill Q1 will engage the cam surface 169 of the corresponding deflector finger 1G7 imme- 'diately beneath the head 41 of this last-mentioned bobbin and the stern 41a thereof will ride against the cam surfaces 109 and 108, successively, and will thus be defiected through the opening 166 in the front track of the trackway T to subsequently rest against the rear surface of the gate 155, which will then be in operative position. Since the head of the particular bobbin being defiected through the openings 196 is supported by the deflector finger 107, this prevents the bobbin from tilting as the lower surface of the head of the bobbin moves out of engagement with track 86.

Now, in the course of the last-mentioned transfer operation of the corresponding winding machine, the swing arm again swings in the reverse or counter-clockwise direction in Figure 2 to index the magazine rack' 53 to thereby position an empty slot 54 in the magazine rack 53 in vertical alinement with the tubular bobbin guide 175 and to simultaneously discharge an empty bobbin Q from the front portion thereof into the chute 78 to sub sequently be engaged by the chuck 49 thereby replacing the previously filled bobbin Q.

As the swing arm 69 moves in the last-mentioned counter-clockwise direction to again occupy the position shown in Figure 2, this returns the gates 15% and 156 to their normal operative position and simultaneously moves the gates and 157 to inoperative position as shown in Figure 9. Thus, the bobbin Q-2 which was supported by the gate 157 while the gate 157 was in operative position, is permitted to move forwardly along the chute 160, by gravity, then falls into the tubular bobbin guide 175.

It will be noted that the leading edges of the gates 154 to 157, inclusive, are each preferably provided with a thin rounded projection 177 (Figure 5) so they will readily pass in front of the corresponding bobbins when mounted to operative position. Of course, it is evident that the movement of the gates 154 and 156 to operative position and the movement of gates 155 and 157 to inoperative position permits thebobbin Q1 previously supported by the gate 155 to move along the chute 1 69, by gravity, until it engages the then opeartive gate 156.

Now, it will be observed in Figure ll that the tubular bobbin guide has a tapered tubular portion 131 which is severed at its upper rear portion and flared outwardly,

to form flaps 130 at the upper portion thereof which dc-' fine an opening through which the bobbins Q pass as they are discharged from the inclined chute 16 The corresponding bobbin thus falls into the tapered tubular portion 181 of the tubular bobbin guide 175 subsequent to which the lower end thereof falls against a resilient bobbin locating member 182 which is shown as being substantially semi-circular in cross section and is pivoted, as at 153, on opposite sides of the tubular portion 181 of the tubular bobbin guide 175.

The tubular portion 181 of the tubular bobbin guide 175 is cut away to form a relatively narrow tapering head guide portion 184 (Figures 11 and 12) which extends downwardly between the corresponding magazine rack ring 50 and the magazine rack 53 and is suitably secured to the inner surface of the magazine rack ring 50, as by a screw 155. The bobbin is urged against the head guide portion 184 by the bobbin locating member 182, this bobbin locating member 182 having opposite 9 ends of a tension spring 186 connected to the opposite side walls thereof and extending around the tubular portion 181 of the tubular bobbiz: guide 175;

Thus, the spring 186, which is normally under tension, is placed under further tension due to a bobbin Q passing between the lower edge of the bobbin locating element 182 and the head guide portion 134 of the tubular bobbin guide 1'75. The spring 86 is necessarily of relatively light tension in order that the Weight of each successive bobbin Q passing through the tubular bobbin guide 175 is sufficient to cause the bobbin positioning element 132 to swing rearwardly at the lower end thereof and to permit the bobbin to pass thereby. Thus, the bobbin positioning element 182 and the head guide portion 184 of the tubular bobbin guide 175 insure that each successive bobbin is accurately alined with the corresponding opening or slot 54 in the magazine rack 53.

The upper end of the tubular bobbin guide 175 is sup ported by means of arms 187 suitably secured at their front ends to the flap portions 189 of the tubular bobbin guide 175 and the rear ends of the arms 187 are provided with adjustment slots 190 which are slidably penetrated by screws 191 (Figure 4) threadably embedded in the lower ends of the corresponding chute support members or arms 145 and 146.

Bobbin propelling or feeding means It is evident that, in order that the bobbins moving along the trackway T are caused to move into the openings 106 in the front track 85 when the corresponding gates 154 are in inoperative position as heretofore described, the bobbins must be moved along the trackway T under pressure and, to this end, there is disposed in advance of each of the openings 1% in the front track 85 a bobbin or quill feeding or propelling means broadly designated at 200 (Figure 3). The bracket 124 supports the feeding means 200, each of the brackets 124 comprising a horizontal portion 261 and a down-turned portion 202 in addition to the flanged portion 123 heretofore described.

The down-turned portions 292 of the brackets 124 rotatably support a common feeder drive shaft 204 which extends lengthwise of the machine rearwardly of and immediately below the level of the lower edge of the trackway T. This shaft 204 extends substantially the entire length of the row of winding machines and is constantly driven by any suitable driving means, such as an electric gear reduction motor 205 (Figure 1) having wires 206 and 207 extending therefrom to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown.

The motor 295 is suitably secured to a motor support plate 210 supported on the outer ends of respective pairs of upper and lower arms 211 and 212 which extend inwardly and are suitably secured to the adjacent pair of strap iron track support brackets 90 and 91 (Figure 2). The shaft 204 has a plurality of worms 213 rotatably mounted thereon, there being one of these worms disposed beneath each of the brackets 124, to each of which rotation is imparted from the driven shaft 264 by suitable slip clutch means including a sleeve 214 which frictionally engages one end of each of the worms 213.

The other end of each of the worms 213 frictionally engages a collar 215 fixed on the shaft 264 and bearing against the down-turned portion 202 of the corresponding bracket 124. Each of the sleeves 214 is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement on the shaft 2134 and is prevented from rotating relative to the shaft 264 by a pin or key 216 working in a slot 217 in the sleeve or collar 214. Each of the sleeves 214 is urged against the corresponding worm 213 by a compression spring 22% which surrounds the shaft 264 and the end thereof remote from the sleeve 214 bears against a collar 221 fixed on the shaft 204.

It will be observed in Figures 2, 4 and 7 that each of the worms 213 engages a worm gear 222 fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 223 which is rotatably mounted in the horizontal portion 201 of the corresponding bracket 124. The upper end of the shaft 222 in Figure 7 has a rotor in the form of a disk 225 fixed thereon, for which a crank arm may be substituted, if desired. Eccentrically mounted for rotation in the disk 225 is a bobbin feed finger guide pin 226 which is provided with a horizontally extending slot 227 (Figure 10) extending therethrough and which is provided with a counterbore 230.

A relatively thin bobbin feeding or propelling finger 231 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in the slot 227 in the guide pin 226 and is adapted to move intermittently immediately above and, if so desired, in sliding engagement with, the upper surfaces of the tracks and 36. The bobbin feeding finger 231 is fixed in the bifurcated front end of a guide rod or bar 232 whose front end is normally urged into the counterbore 230 of the guide pin 226 by any suitable means, such as a pair of tension springs 233 connected at their rear ends to opposite sides of the guide bar or rod 232 and connected at their front ends to the bobbin feeding guide pin 226, as best shown in Figure 3.

The rear portion of the guide rod or bar 232 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in a pivoted guide pin 234. The reduced lower portions of the guide pins 234 slidably penetrate a common horizontal bar 235 and each guide pin 234 is pivotally mounted in the rear end of an arm 236 on which bar 235 rests and which extends downwardly and forwardly in Figure 7 and is suitably secured to the upper surface of the horizontal portion 201 of bracket 124.

It is thus seen that the horizontal drive shaft 204 normally imparts rotation to all of the disks 225 simultaneously by means of the worms 213, gears 222 and shafts 223. With rotation of the disks 225 in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 3, the guide pins 226 revoive in orbital paths about the axes of the shafts 223. This causes each of the bobbin feeding fingers 231 to intermittently move forwardly and then rearwardly in an arcuate path in the course of which each finger 231 moves across the tracks 85 and 36 and initially engages the head of the first bobbin in advance of the same which may have been directed to this position either by gravity, due to the inclined portion T-1 of the track T, or from the feeding means 2% in advance of the same in the instance of those machines B, C and D other than the first machine A.

The bobbin feeding finger 231 is urged forwardly to normaliy occupy the position shown in Figures 3 and 7 relative to the guide pin 226 by the tension springs 233 and will, thus, engage the head 41 of the bobbin immediately in advance of the same as it moves forwardly relative to the track T and will also advance any bobbins which are disposed in juxtaposition relative to each other ahead of the bobbin which is engaged by the bobbin feeding finger 2311.

Assuming the gates 154 to be in operative position, as the bobbins Q are advanced by the finger 231, the heads of the bobbins successively engage and ride upon the corresponding defiector fingers 1137 and the stems of the bobbins in engagement with the deflector fingers 107 cause the deflector fingers 107 to move outwardly from substantially the position shown in Figure 8, through the position shown in Figure 3 and to the position shown in Figure 9 to thereby permit the bobbins to continue along the trackway T in the event of the corresponding gates 154 being in operative position as shown in Figures 3 and 9.

It is evident that the force of each of the compression springs 220 (Figure 6) should be great enough to cause sufiicient traction between the sleeve 214 and the collar 215 and the worm 213 to overcome the pressure of the torsion spring 117 (Figure 13) so the leading bobbin in engagement with the deflector finger 107 will cause the 11 deflector finger 107 to move out of its path as the latter bobbin moves past the same.

On the other hand, when any one or more of the gates 54 occupies the inoperative position shown in Figure 3, the instant bobbin Q then moves along the line of least resistance and, in so doing, this bobbin engages the wall of the opening tea in the track 35 furthest from the bobbin feeding or propelling mechanism 291) and thereby retards movement of the bobbins Q disposed between the same and the adjacent bobbin feeding finger 231, with the result that the finger 231 will engage the adjacent bobbin Q, but will be unable to impart movement thereto or at least will move the same at a slower rate of speed than that in which the finger 231 normally moves along the trackway T.

Thus, the corresponding disk 225, the shaft 223, the worm gear 222 and the worm 213 must either stop or move at a slower rate than the speed of rotation of the drive shaft 204. This is also true in the event of the trackway T being filled with bobbins Q throughout its entire length, in which event the bobbin which is disposed furthest from the feed end or the inclined portion Tl of the trackway T engages a stop (Figure 3) which may be formed in any desired manner and in this instance, the auxiliary chute track 179, associated with the last machine D, extends across the trackway 1 and abuts against the rear track 86 as shown in Figure 3.

It is evident that the slip clutch mechanism associated with each of the worms 213 will permit the worms 213 to rotate at a relatively slower speed than the shaft 204, or to stop, in the event of the movement of the corresponding bobbin feeding fingers 231 being retarded or stopped by the means heretofore described.

At times during forward movement of each of the fingers 231, the front edges of the fingers may engage the heads 41 of bobbins Q at a point radially of the axis of the corresponding bobbin Q depending between the tracks 85 and 8-5 of the trackway T. This will cause the guide pin 225 to move forwardly relative to the corresponding finger 231 until the finger 231 is moved out of radial alinement with the corresponding bobbin Q, whereupon the springs 23?: will then urge the corresponding finger 231 forwardly between adjacent bobbins Q in the trackway T.

it is thus seen that I have provided an improved bobbin loader for a series of automatic winding machines or the like wherein a means, embodied in the trackway T, is provided for storing a relatively large quantity of bobbins Q with means operable automatically upon a bobbin Q being discharged from the magazine of any one of the winding machines to direct a bobbin from the trackway T to the magazine thereby insuring that an ample supply of bobbins is always present in each of the magazines 42.

The present bobbin loading apparatus has many advantages over bobbin loading devices heretofore employed.

For example, bobbins having any type of conventional heads may be propelled along the trackway T without injury to the heads or the stems of the bobbins. In one particular type of bobbin loading apparatus heretofore in use, the bobbins have been advanced from one machine.

to the other by means of a spirally-grooved horizontal shaft and in each of the grooves of which a bobbin was disposed. However, rotation of the teeth or threads, formed by the spiral grooves in the shaft against the bobbins Q has often damaged the bobbins Q to such an extent that they have had to be discarded.

Also, a device of the type having a spirally-grooved shaft for propelling the bobbins above the machine has required that a return means be provided to return the bobbins to the point from whence they were originally fed to the spirally grooved shaft, due to the fact that no provision had been made heretofore to permit the bobbins to cease movement along the trackway when the trackway was filled with bobbins.

Another advantage of the present bobbin loading apparatus is the fact that bobbins having extremely thin heads,

such as those illustrated in the drawings, may be processed equally as well as bobbins having relatively thick or high heads thereon without the necessity of making any adjustments or changes in the apparatus. Of course, as heretofore stated, upon bobbins having stems of difierent diameters being fed to the winding machines, it is necessary that the tracks and 86 be adjusted relative to each other so the distance therebetween is only slightly greater than the diameters of the bobbins fed thereto. Also, the auxiliary chute track 170 would have to be removed from the chute track 162 of the inclined discharge chute or replaced with another auxiliary track of greater or lesser thickness, as desired.

The present bobbin loader is shown and described in association with a Model M-S Whitin-Schweiter automatic filling bobbin winder. However, it is to be understood that the present bobbin loader may be used in association with any type of automatic machines for processing bobbins or similarly shaped articles in any manner. As a matter of fact, the bobbin guide chutes 174 may be alined with the chutes 7 ii in lieu of the magazines 42, if desired, to thereby feed bobbins directly from the discharge chutes tea to the top chute stops 76 and the chucks 40 at each transfer operation of the winding machines A, B, C and D, thus eliminating the magazines.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of machines comprising a longitudinally slotted trackway adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins having their stems depending through the slot of said trackway, said trackway having a discharge opening coinciding with each of said machines, means for advancing said bobbins along said trackway, means preventing advance of said bobbins along said trackway beyond the discharge opening for the last machine in said row, guide means disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings for guiding bobbins to said machines, restraining means associated with each of said guide means and normally restraining movement of bobbins therethrough means individually controlled by each machine for releasing the restraining means at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon release of the restraining means for moving the adjacent bobbin from said trackway through said guide means to the corresponding machine.

2. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of machines comprising a trackway including spaced parallel first and second tracks whose upper edges are adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins and downwardly between which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to depend, said first track having a discharge opening coinciding with each of said machines, means for advancing said bobbins along said trackway, when not resisted, means resisting advance of said bobbins along said trackway beyond the discharge opening for the last machine in said row, a downwardly extending bobbin guide disposed adjacent each of said openings in said first track, independent restraining means normally preventing said bobbins from passing through each of said openings in said first track, means individually controlled by each machine for moving the restraining means away from the corresponding opening in said first track at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon movement of the restraining means away from said last mentioned opening for deflecting the adjacent bobbin out of its normal path of travel and through said last mentioned opening whereby the bobbin will pass through the bobbin guide to the corresponding machine.

3. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of machines comprising a longitudinally slotted trackway whose upper edge is adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins and downwardly through the slot of which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to depend, said trackway having a discharge opening in one side thereof coinciding with each of said machines, means for intermittently advancing said bobbins along said trackway, means rendering said advancing means ineffective when advance of said bobbins is prevented, means preventing advance of said bobbins beyond the discharge opening for the last machine in said row, a downwardly extending bobbin guide disposed adjacent each of said openings in said trackway, r straining means normally preventing said bobbins from passing through said openings in said trackway, means individually controlled by each machine for moving the restraining means away from the corresponding opening in said trackway at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon movement of the restraining means away from said last mentioned opening for deflecting the adjacent bobbin out of its normal path of travel and through said last mentioned opening whereby the bobbin will fall through the bobbin guide to the corresponding machine.

4. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type each having an elongated stern and an enlarged head at the one end thereof, to a plurality of automatic bobbin processing machines of the type each having a bobbin transfer mechanism; said apparatus comprising a trackway including spaced parallel front and rear tracks disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and whose upper edges are adapted to support the heads of bobbins and downwardly between which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend, said front track having a plurality of discharge openings therein, one each coinciding with each machine, a movable deflector finger disposed immediately above the upper edge of the rear track opposite each of said discharge openings in the front track, resilient means normally urging said deflector finger to extend across said trackway, a pivoted gate normally disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings in the front track, individual bobbin feeding means disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings in the front track and having means thereon for engaging said bobbins and moving the same along said tracks whereby the deflector finger is normally engaged and moved by said bobbins out of the normal path of travel of the bobbins, means operable automatically during each operation of any of the bobbin transfer mechanisms for swinging the corresponding gates away from the corresponding openings in the front track whereby said deflector fingers will cause the adjacent bobbins to pass through said last mentioned discharge openings and to the corresponding machines.

5. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type each having an elongated stem and an enlarged head at one end thereof, to a plurality of automatic bobbin processing machines of the type each having a periodically operable bobbin transfer mechanism; said apparatus comprising a trackway having a longitudinally extending slot therein disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and whose upper edge is adapted to support the heads of bobbins and downwardly through the slot of which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend, said trackway having a plurality of discharge openings in the front wall thereof communicating with said slot, there being one discharge opening coinciding with each machine, at least one pivoted gate normally disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings in the trackway, bobbin feeding means disposed adjacent said trackway and having means thereon for engaging said bobbins and moving the same along said trackway, a pivoted deflector finger, resilient means normally urging said deflector finger across said trackway, said deflector finger being engageable by said bobbins and normally swung out of the normal path of travel of the bobbins, means operable automatically during each operation of any one of the bobbin transfer mechanisms for swinging the corresponding gate away from the corresponding discharge opening 14 in the front wall of said trackway whereby said deflector finger will cause the adjacent bobbin to pass through said discharge opening to the corresponding machine.

6. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type each having an elongated stem and an enlarged head at one end thereof, to a plurality of automatic bobbin winding machines of the type each having an intermittently operable bobbin transfer mechanism; said apparatus comprising a trackway disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and being provided with a longitudinally extending vertical slot therein through which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend, said trackway having a plurality of discharge openings in the front wall thereof, one each coinciding with each machine, a restraining means normally disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings, feeding means disposed to one side of each of said discharge openings and having means thereon for engaging said bobbins and moving the same along said trackway, means operable automatically during operation of the bobbin transfer mechanisms for momentarily moving the corresponding restraining means away from the corresponding openings in the front wall of said trackway, and resilient means normally urging said bobbins toward said restraining means as they are fed along said trackway whereby, upon said restraining means being moved away from any of said discharge openings said resilient means will shift the adjacent bobbins through said last mentioned discharge openings and to the corresponding machines.

7. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type having an elongated stem and an enlarged head at one end thereof, to a plurality of automatic bobbin winding machines of the type having an intermittently operable bobbin transfer mechanism; said apparatus comprising a trackway disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and the transfer mechanism thereof and being provided with a longitudinally extending vertical slot therein through which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend for feeding along said trackway, said traclrway having a plurality of discharge openings in the front wall thereof, one each coinciding with each machine, means preventing feeding of said bobbins along said trackway beyond the discharge opening for the last of said plurality of machines, a restraining means normally disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings, feeding means and shifting means operable automatically upon said restraining means moving away from said openings, for shifting said bobbins through the adjacent openings.

8. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type having an elongated stem and an enlarged head at one end thereof, to a plurality of automatic bobbin winding machines of the type having an intermittently operable bobbin trans-' fer mechanism; said apparatus comprising a trackway disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and the transfer mechanism thereof and being pro vided with a longitudinally extending vertical slot therein through which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend for feeding along said trackway, said trackway having a plurality of discharge openings in the front wall thereof, one each coinciding with each machine, means preventing feemng of said bobbins along said trackway beyond the discharge opening for the last of said plurality of machines, a restraining means normally disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings, feeding means, and bobbin guide means extending from each of said discharge openings to the corresponding machine.

9. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of ma chines comprising a trackway including spaced parallel first and second tracks whose upper edges are adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins and downwardly between which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to depend, said first track having a discharge opening coinciding with each of said machines, an individual bobbin feeding mechanism for each of the discharge openings in the first track comprising a bobbin feeding finger spaced to one side of each of the discharge openings, driving means for driving said bobbin feeding finger in a circular path about a vertical axis adjacent said trackway, said bobbin feeding finger being so positioned that it extends across said trackway in close proximity to the upper surface thereof during a segmental portion of each circular movement thereof to thereby pass between the heads of adjacent bobbins in the trackway to propel any bobbins disposed in juxtaposition in advance of the same towards the corresponding discharge opening in the course of each movement thereof across the trackway, a downwardly extending bobbin guide, disposed adjacent each of said openings in said first track, independent restraining means normally preventing said bobbins frcm passing through each of said openings in said, first track, means individually controlled by each machine for moving the restraining means away from the corresponding opening in said first track at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon movement of the restraining means away from said last mentioned opening for deflecting the adjacent bobbins out of its normal path of travel and through said last mentioned opening whereby the bobbin will pass through the bobbin guide to the corresponding machine.

it). In a structure according to claim 9, a slip clutch mechanism interposed in said driving means for driving each of the bobbin feeding fingers in a circular path and being so arranged as to permit continued operation of the driving means at its normal speed when the movement of the bobbins is retarded or stopped due to the action of the deflecting means moving a bobbin through the corresponding discharge opening in the first track of the trackway.

ll. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of machines comprising a longitudinally slotted trackway adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins having their stems depending through the slot of said traclrway, said traclaway having a discharge opening coinciding with each of said machines, an indivdual bobbin feeding mechanism for each of the discharge openings in the first track comprising a bobbin feeding finger spaced to one side of each of the discharge openings, driving means for driving said bobbin feeding finger in a circular path about a vertical axis adjacent said trackway, said bobbin feeding linger being so positioned that it extends across said tracliway in close proximity to the upper surface thereof during a segmental portion of each circular movement thereof to thereby pass between the heads of adjacent bobbins in the tracltway to propel any bobbins disposed in juxtaposition in advance of the same towards the corresponding discharge opening in the course of each movement thereof across the trackway, guide means disposed adjacent each of said discharge openings for guiding bobbins to said machines, restraining means associated with each of said guide means and normally restraining movement of bobbins therethrough, means individually controlled by each machine for releasing the restraining means at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon release of the restraining means for moving the adjacent bobbin from said tracltway through said guide means to the corresponding machine.

12. Apparatus for feeding bobbins, of the type each having an elongated stem and an enlarged head at one end thereof, plurality of automatic bobbin processing mach es of the type each having a bobbin transfer mechanism including a periodically reciprocally movable element; said apparatus comprising a trackway includingspaced parallel front and rear tracks disposed above and extending past said plurality of machines and whose upper edges are adapted to support the heads of bobbins and between which the stems of the bobbins are adapted to extend, said front track having a plurality of discharge openings therein, one each coinciding with each machine, a pair of inclined downwardly and for- 16 wardly inclined chute tracks carried by the front track and being spaced from each other and cooperating with each of said discharge openings in the front track, a group of movable gates above each pair of chute tracks and being spaced from each other in parallel relation to said chute tracks, alternate gates normally occupying a position immediately above said chute tracks one of said alternate gates being disposed immediately above the corresponding discharge opening in the front track of the trackway, a substantially tubular bobbin guide disposed immediately adjacent the front end of each'of said pairs of chute tracks and extending downwardly to the corresponding machine, means for feeding the bobbins along said trackway, resilient means normally urging each successive bobbin in the trackway towards each of the discharge openings, a driving connection between the periodically movable element of each machine and said gates for reciprocally moving said gates to momentarily move the alternate gates away from said inclined chute tracks and for moving said gates between the alternate gates into position immediately above the corresponding inclined chute tracks and then returning the gates to their normal positions whereby, upon said alternate gates moving away from any of the chute tracks, a bobbin will be deflected from its normal path of travel along said trackway by said resilient means through the corresponding discharge opening in the front track and will move, by gravity, along said inclined chute tracks into engagement with the next adjacent of the gates between said alternate gates and whereby, upon said gates returning to their normal positions, the bobbin previously retained by the foremost of said gates between the alternate gates will fall off the front end of the inclined chute track, into said tubular bobbin guide and thus to the corresponding machine.

13. Apparatus for directing bobbins to a row of machines comprising a longitudinally slotted trackway adapted to support the heads of a plurality of bobbins having their stems depending through the slot of said trackway, said trackway having a discharge opening coinciding with each of said machines, a bobbin feeding mechanism comprising a common driven shaft extending substantially parallel to said trackway, a rotor mounted for rotary movement about a vertical axis to one side of the trackway and in advance of each of said discharge openings in said trackway relative to the normal direction of travel of the bobbins along said trackway, a first guide a means carried by the rotor, 21 second pivoted guide element spaced from the trackway adjacent each of said rotors, a driving connection between each of the rotors and the common shaft, slip clutch means interposed in each of said driving connections, a bobbin feeding finger mounted for horizontal sliding movement in each of said pivoted guide elements, whereby the bobbin feeding finger extends generally transversely of the trackway during the entirety of each revolution of the first pivoted guide element carried by the rotor, said bobbin feeding finger being so positioned relative to the trackway that it will move in an arcuate path across and immediately above the upper surface of the traclcway in the course of each revolution of the rotor to thereby pass between the heads of adjacent bobbins carried by the trackway to advance the bobbins along the trackway in the course of each revolution of the rotor, guide means disposed adjacent each of said dis charge openings for guiding bobbins to said machines, restraining means associated with each of said guide means and normally restraining movement of bobbins there- 7 through, means individually controlled by each machine for releasing the restraining means at predetermined intervals, and means operable automatically upon release of the restraining means for moving the adjacent bobbin from said trackway through said guide means to the corresponding machine.

l4. In a structure according to claim 13, resilient means normally urging the bobbin feeding finger towards the 17 trackway relative to the first pivoted guide element carried by the rotor whereby, upon the free end of said bobbin feeding finger engaging a bobbin when in radial alinement with the axis of a bobbin, the bobbin feeding finger recedes relative to the trackway and the first guide element until the bobbin feeding finger has moved out of radial alinement with the instant bobbin and will subsequently move between the instant bobbin and the next adjacent bobbin for moving said next adjacent bobbin along said trackway.

15. Apparatus for selectively feeding bobbins to each of a plurality of Winding machines each having an automatic bobbin transfer mechanism thereon including a magazine having a rotary magazine rack mounted for movement about a vertical axis and having a plurality of peripheral bobbin receiving openings therein and each machine having means for indexing the bobbin rack upon each bobbin transfer operation, said bobbin feeding apparatus comprising a common longitudinally and vertically slotted trackway extending past the machines and being disposed above and rearwardly of the machines and in which bobbins having heads and stems are adapted to be positioned, said trackway having a plurality of discharge openings therein, one for each of said machines, an inclined vertically slotted discharge chute carried by said trackway and in communication with each of said discharge openings, a group of movable gates disposed adjacent each of said inclined discharge chutes, resilient bobbin feeding means adjacent said trackway and disposed in advance of each of said discharge openings and having means thereon for resiliently engaging and propelling said bobbins along the trackway, one of said gates in each group normally being positioned immediately adjacent the corresponding discharge opening in the trackway and the next adjacent of said group of gates normally being positioned to one side of said inclined discharge chute, means operable automatically upon the occurrence of a transfer operation of the transfer mechanism associated with any of said machines for moving the corresponding gates to where the gate adjacent the corresponding discharge opening in the trackway will move away from the discharge opening and the immediately adjacent gate will move to a position immediately above the inclined discharge chute, resilient means normally urging successive bobbins directed along the trackway by said bobbin feeding means towards each discharge opening to thereby move an adjacent bobbin through said discharge opening upon movement of the corresponding gate away from said discharge opening whereby the last mentioned bobbin will move, by gravity, along the inclined discharge chute to engage the next adjacent gate disposed immediately above the inclined discharge chute, said transfer mechanism also being operable to return the corresponding gates to their normal positions to thereby release the bobbin from the inclined discharge chute, and a guide member extending from the free end of the discharge chute to each of the magazines to thereby guide each successive bobbin which falls oif the free end of the inclined discharge chute to the corresponding magazine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,726,418 Aldrich Aug. 27, 1929 2,029,558 Chalmers Feb. 4, 1936 2,234,355 Reiners Mar. 11, 1941 2,395,028 Abbott Feb. 19, 1946 2,558,751 Hebert July 3, 1951 2,600,793 Molloy June 17, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 707,250 Germany June 17, 1941 631,476 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1949 263,928 Switzerland Dec. 16, 1949 274,496 Switzerland July 2, 1951 

